Arab Parliamentary Union calls Arabs to freeze relations with Israel
Regional-Palestine, Politics, 7/13/2001

The Arab Parliamentary Union (APU) on Thursday called the Arab states to freeze all relations with Israel and invited Washington to lift its veto on the dispatching of a force to protect Palestinians.

APU, which held its 39th session in the Yemeni capital, said the Arab states should halt and freeze all forms of relations and normalization with the Jewish state and respect the economic boycott.

It also launched an appeal to the UN Security Council to "ensure international protection to the Palestinian people and put an end to the extermination war waged by the Israeli army against Palestinians." The USA was called to abstain from impeding the Security Council action and stop using its veto on the project."

The Arab representatives, who voiced "total support to the Palestinian people struggle," urged Arab governments to live by their commitments to pay Palestinian one billion dollars in aid, as it was decided by the Arab summit of October.

They also expressed solidarity with the Syria in its struggle to recover the Golan heights occupied by Israel and backing to Lebanon in its national resistance to liberate all its territories, still occupied by Israel after it withdrew from southern Lebanon in May 2000.

The meeting further decided to dispatch the chairman of its commission to report on Israel's crimes against Arab civilians in order to lodge a complaint against Israeli war criminals, mainly prime minister Ariel Sharon.

The Saudi Shoura council, which had an observer status, became a new member at the Union.

Morocco was represented at the session by speaker of the chamber of advisors (upper parliamentary chamber), Mustapha Okacha who led a delegation comprising representatives from the two chambers. Oukacha told the APU opening session Arab parliaments should join in efforts to support to the Palestinian people and stressed the importance of Arab parliaments in encouraging governments to take concrete measures and use all means to support the Palestinian cause.

He also proposed the holding of a meeting of Arab ministers in charge of relations with parliaments and called for an awareness campaigns with world parliaments, through the sending of Arab parliamentary delegations to the Security Council member countries. Oukacha also said Arab countries should activate enforcement of decisions made by Arab summits, held in Cairo and Amman, and by the Doha Islamic summit. He added Arabs should support efforts made by Al-Quds committee, chaired by King Mohammed VI, to face Israeli endeavors to obliterate the Arab and Islamic characteristics of Al-Quds (Jerusalem).

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